Urban Tool's hipHolster reviewed... after the laughter subsided

Check it hipster, Urban Tool has some new gear bent on turning you into a, well, urban tool. Meet the $50 hipHolster. Besides featuring that super trendy, non-conformist alterna-capitalization in its name, this modern "fanny pack" (apologies to our more sensitive British readers) comes loaded with plenty of concealed pockets for your iPod, mobile phone, wallet or camera. Pocketnow went to town with a unit and came away generally impressed without so much as a single geek-pummeling. They gave it a 4 of 5 rating even though that elastic leg strap (which can be removed) caused some chaffing. Eww.

[Via Pocketnow]

[Jonathan Keim @ May 31st 2007 8:18AM]

Man, I wish these would come into style.

[Big @ May 31st 2007 8:23AM]

looks like he is gonna rappel off of the 2nd story of a building !

[Ugh @ May 31st 2007 8:23AM]

Don't hold your breath.

[artifex @ May 31st 2007 8:25AM]

It's definitely ugly, and really looks like a fanny pack falling off its band. It can't hold the earphones securely, if the image is an indication. If they're dangling loose and open, they're going to snag on stuff when you are in close quarters, like a server room, etc. And when you sit down, I bet the coiled cord falls out of the strap.

[stitifier @ May 31st 2007 8:25AM]

Did anybody else think they'd accidentally stumbled onto some very strange porn site when they refreshed the page?

"SEXAULLY ECXPLICT: GAGDET BAGZ PR0N"

[Azzy @ May 31st 2007 8:26AM]

Wanna see an urban tool? Look at the dude on their website.

[Allan @ May 31st 2007 8:30AM]

I would be compelled to punch someone in the face for wearing this if I ever saw them... that is, if I could stop laughing at them. It would be quite difficult.

[strider_mt2k @ May 31st 2007 8:31AM]

Who needs this?

Also in these crazed times, don't you think you're going to warrant at least a second glance by police and security personnel?

Unless of course you're trying to look like 'em. -and that's just sad/actionable.

[RickyRik @ May 31st 2007 9:02AM]

I like the fact that they try to make it look all cool by putting the strap around the thigh like it's some side armor strap. LMAO...

[Homer J @ May 31st 2007 9:02AM]

Goes along with the Urban Sombrero...

[Kel @ May 31st 2007 9:08AM]

All that's needed is an Urban Sombrero to complete the Urban Gringo look.

[benjamin @ May 31st 2007 9:10AM]

what does it need the thingy to carry the head phones,, why wouldnt they be in your ears? it will be difficult to hear them down there!
i wouldnt wear one if they paid me 50$,, i have pockets to carry my money, cell phone, mp3, shit nowadays, everything you could possibly want to carry is stored in a cellphone, music, maps, (not far before money). i still see travellers using fanny(bum) bags, & they still look stupid,, it screams "steal something off me, i have a bag full of goodies"

[Rynth @ May 31st 2007 9:22AM]

stitifier - Yes, yes I did, Lol!

[Fox @ May 31st 2007 9:23AM]

This might work. Depends on what you use it for. You could use it for your 700P when you're in town or on the road.

Yep, there are at least 3 references to nature's calling here. Can you find them? I'm sorry, I've got to go.

[Kenny Jeckell @ May 31st 2007 9:26AM]

if you like this, i will punch you in the face for $25, think of the savings!

[SuperChuck @ May 31st 2007 10:07AM]

"super trendy, non-conformist alterna-capitalization"

Um, we just call that "lowercase with intercaps". Does this make programmers super trendy?

[Tim Adams @ May 31st 2007 11:00AM]

Not so much as a geek-pummeling, eh? As the conclusion (and content) states: this is a geeky product. The trendy metro-geek would be hard pressed into using it daily, if at all. But it would be useful for those who don't care if they look geeky, and for those who are still using a fanny pack. The strangest thing?

But thanks for the link Engadget!

Jonathan Keim: Sorry to say this Jonathan, but I doubt it. But don't be afraid to wear one just because it's geeky. Just don't wear it everyday - use it for camping, going to the airport, etc. Folks are highly unlikely to point and murmur.

artifex: If the cords had a problem staying in the velcro, I would have mentioned it in the review. They did not. And depending on how to coil them, the are even less likely to get caught on bits.

Azzy: May your life be as blessed as your lovely comment.

Allan: Yeah. I'm sure you would walk up and smack a 6'5" 240lb guy because he was wearing on of these. Hehehe...

[31 @ May 31st 2007 11:46AM]

Somehow I don't think i would look as good as Han Solo wearing this.

[LC @ May 31st 2007 1:23PM]

"Somehow I don't think i would look as good as Han Solo wearing this."

Women see him wearing this and his name would be Hand Solo.

[kingofwale @ May 31st 2007 11:50AM]

let's be real about this, what do you really expect from a company called "urban TOOL"? ;)

at least this is for guy, he will have excuse if caught 'grabbing' himself.

"hmmm, I was just adjusting the volume. ;)

[Dan (thoughtfix) @ May 31st 2007 2:04PM]

Unless you wore it WHOLLY WRONG, it's not in a place to grab yourself.
Damn - they deleted my link to my review.

[tekdroid @ May 31st 2007 11:56AM]

Sometimes, you need a light and flexible way to carry multiple gadgets and gear other than in your pockets. This, my friends, does not mean you should use a fanny pack, however. Those were popular in the 90's, which are, thankfully, long gone.
-----------
I love the models totally non-utilising their god-given pockets and shoving all things in the hipHolster :)

Hmm, there are fanny packs with multiple pockets really not too different to this.

They also coming with far more choice in materials and styles. I say the fanny pack got functionality right and is nothing to be laughed at.

There are bags that do over-the-shoulder and waist-level stuff, too. Nothing new here, really, except the exhorbitant price and less storage.
http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/bags/9190/

A wallet and keys can easily go in the pockets comfortably, which means all that would be needed to be a lot more comfortable carrying stuff around is a much smaller case, in 99% of cases.

Which means...
a small belt-clip type carrier - perhaps for your phone and/or walkman.

The hipHolster comes to its own only when you have no pockets, IMO. And even then I think there are better/ cheaper/ more practical solutions..

[Regolith @ May 31st 2007 1:48PM]

Am I the only one who recognized that this was a rip off of a type of gun holster? http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat602007-cat602310&id=0024355226430a&navCount=1&podId=0024355&parentId=cat602310&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=UG&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat602310&hasJS=true

They don't really look good unless your wearing a SWAT vest and have a pistol shoved into it. Wearing it with jeans and an iPod just makes you look like a tool; or perhaps a wannabe.

[Dan (thoughtfix) @ May 31st 2007 1:52PM]

It's supposed to look like a gun holster ;) That's part of the charm.

After wearing it for a while, it's VERY comfortable.

[XSportSeeker @ May 31st 2007 7:14PM]

Not a bad idea, but I wouldn't use that to carry gadgets around on a daily basis (unless I got paid for that).
Why? Same reason I don't use fanny packs: they're fugly, and nowhere near becoming "trendy".

I'd rather carry a backpack around, or even a shoulder bag instead. At least it looks less ridiculous when you have to run somewhere...

But it would be useful in situations you absolutely NEED extra pockets close to your waist (where you can get things easily) and firmly attached to your body. Like when rappeling.
Unfortunately, this is nothing new.

[Overgauss @ May 31st 2007 7:15PM]

Nonegai!

[Overgauss @ May 31st 2007 7:15PM]

err. No neh guy.

[drtekger @ May 31st 2007 10:38PM]

the perfect TOOL for hookers. they have their change at hand while listening to their ipods

[Jorge @ Jun 1st 2007 3:49AM]

this is not new, some other company does similar things. but look like it is build better, better quality. It might be useful if you wear slim fitting jeans, pant with small pocket and pants with no pocket. If you wear slim fitting jeans or pants with small pocket when you put in you gadgets like ipod or smartphone(treo, blackberry or window mobile and symbian) it will bulge out and look bad. This will help.

[meyek @ May 19th 2009 3:37PM]

urban tool has definitely stepped up their product line - some very cool choices now.
check out their new site for orders in the States, Canada, South America and Asia...

www.urbantool-webshop.us